Lubricating tungsten carbide die holder



Jan. 30, 1951 P. J. 'BAlRsTow lE1- An. 2,539,716

LUBRICATING TUNGSTEN CARBIDE um Homan Filed July 29, 1948 Patented Jan. 30, 1951 LUBBICATING TUNGS HOLDER TEN CABBIDE DIE Paul J. Balratow. Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and Stephen E. Tar-by, Pittsburgh, Pa., assigner: to The American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey. a corporation of New Jersey Applicaties my ze. 194s. semi 10.41.254 i calm. (ci. zas-za) l This invention relates to a die holder and more particularly to a lubricating die holder for wire vdrawing dies.

Prior to our invention'the use of a powdered dry lubricant, such as powdered soap, in wire drawing has always been accompanied by in-4 herent disadvantages that prolonged wire drawing processes and increased the cost thereof. The conventional die holder for holding a lead-in vdie and a sizing die in tandem relationship is de-l signed so that a space is provided between the two dies, wherein the lubricant which is stripped off the wire as it enters the sizing die is deposited. This space betwen the two dies communicates with the lubricant compartment of the die box in which the die holder is mounted. 'I'he pressure created in the space between the dies by the lubricant deposited there forces out the used lubricant into the lubricant compartment' in a continuous solid stream or ribbon. When grease is used as a lubricant the used grease retains its pasty consistency as it enters the lubricant compartment and may, therefore, be reused immediately. Such is not the case, however, when a powdered dry lubricant. such as powdered soap, is used. The heat generated in the drawing process causes the soap to solidify into a hard cohesive form similar to hard clay;

In this form the soap passes from the die holder as a continuous caked ribbon which retains its solidified form in the lubricant compartment and must be broken up manually before it may be vre- `lllgure3isasectiononlineIlt--IIIoflPigure l; and

used. This additional breaking up" step, of I course, interrupts the drawing process until .the operator can condition the solidiiied soap in the lubricant compartment so that it will again adhere to wire passing therethrough.

It is accordingly an object of our invention to provide a die holder assembly equipped with lubricant relief passageways which will permit the passage of lubricants therethrough in a form that makes them suitable for immediate re-use.

It is a further object of our invention to provide a lubricating wire die holder assembly which is simple in construction,durable, inexpensive to manufacture, and suitable for use in drawing wire coated with a dry lubricant.

'I'he foregoing and further objects will be apparent from the following speciilcations when read in conjunction with the attached drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a tandem die and holder embodying the improved features of our invention; Y

Figure zisasectlononlinel'I-Ilofl'lgun l;

shown) Figure 4 is an isometric view of the lead-in die.

Referring more particularly to the drawings. reference numeral 2 designates a die holder block having a bore l and a counterbore 5 therein. Disposed in the bore and counterbore, respectively,areasizingdie$andaleadindie2. A back-up plate Il having a center opening smaller in diameter than the bore of the holder block is disposed on the exit side oi the die holder block 2 to provide an atutment for holding the sizing die l in position. The bottom of the counterbore 5 forms a ilange 1 partially enclosing the entrance end of the counterbore. The lead-in die l rests on ilange 1. The casing I2 of the lead-in die l is machined in such a manner so as to provide ilns Il thereon. The ns I4 extend in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lead-in die and are .of such length that they extend slightly beyond the entrance end and exit end of the lead-in die 8. The ns Il cooperate with the inner wall of the counterbore 5 to form passageways I8. constrlcted side openings 20 are provided in the passageways I8 which communicate with the space 22 between the sizing die t and the lead-in die 8. Similar constrlcted side openings 24 are also provided adjacent the entrance end of the lead-in die 8.

In operation. the die holder is assembled as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and then inserted in.

the die holder slot of a conventional die box (not During the wire drawing process, in which a powdered dry lubricant, such as soap, is used, the lubricant carried by the wire W is partially stripped oir as the wire enters the sizing die B. The stripped lubricant is deposited in the space 22 between the two dies as it comes ci! the wire. As more lubricant is deposited in space 22l a pressure is created which forces the lubricant into the constrlcted side openings 20. through the passageways I8 and out the constricted side openings 24 into the lubricating compartment of the die box (not shown). The ow of lubricant is shown by the arrows in Figure l. The arrangement of the constrlcted inlets 20 and outlets 24 at right angles to the passageways I8 causes the dry lubricant, which has been fused by the heat generated in the wire drawing process. to break up into small pieces as it ilows out of the die holder into the lubricant compartment of the die box. Thus. the lubricant is available for immediate and contilnuous re-use without the necessity of further processing.

'Il Thepas'sagewayslareshownasbeingintegral with the casing I2 of the lead-in die 8. We have found this mode of construction preferable, but if desired the passageways can be made as integral parts of the die holder block itself, so long as the inlet and outlet openings of the passageways are arranged at right angles to the passageways.

While one embodiment of our invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other` adaptations and modications may he made Without departing from the scope of the following claim.

We claim:

A die holder assembly comprising a die holder block having a bore and counterbore therein, the bottom of said counterbore forming a flange partially enclosing the entrance end of said counterbore, an encased sizing die slidably disposed in said die holder bore for drafting wire coated with lubricant, an encased lead-in die disposed in said counterbore coaxially aligned with said sizing die in spaced relationship `therewith, the space between the dies being adapted to receive the lubricant stripped off the wire as it enters the sizing die, anda plurality of ns around said lead-in die extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said lead-in die, one end of said fins extending slightly beyond the exit end of said lead-in die and abutting said sizing die case, the other end of said tins extending beyond the entrance end of said lead-ln die and abutting the anged bottom of said counterbore, said vins cooperating with the inner surfaces of said counterbore to form passageways around the lead-in die, one end of said passageways being closed by the sizing die case and the other end being closed by the anged bottom of said counterbore, each of said passageways having a constricted side openingr REFERENCES ITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,028,652 Multatier Jan. 21, 1936 2,188,470 Brandt Jan. 30, 1940 

